I've spent the last three days talking to fans who lost their Raleigh experience. We're all trying to see the bigger picture and not make it about ourselves, but the stories I've heard are all very personal. We all made sacrifices and worked hard to afford the show, get vacation days, travel, find child care, etc. Those of you dismissing us are lacking empathy. By the way, everyone I talked to hates the law and understands that discrimination is worse than missing a show.
I love how the people who didn't have tickets to Raleigh and were not affected by the cancellation have all the answers. If you don't have any skin in the game you can't possibly know how those of us who do were affected. When you cause people to lose their hard earned money they are going to be pissed off and they have every right to be. I know that my view of this band has changed forever. If i ever get the chance to meet them again they will get an earful from me.
Some of us without tickets have had skin in the game our entire lives. This law and the backwards culture behind it are deplorable. I've lived 44 years suffering prejudice and bullying. You missed a rock concert. If you're looking for sympathy I suggest you get out your dictionary and search between shit and syphilis.
99% of us have a problem with the TIMING of the cancelation, not the cancelation itself... nobody is on here supporting the law or justifying the experiences you have had in your life, we are all on the same team here for the most part... and lets be honest, this concert was not the straw that broke the back, or the line in the sand, on the LGBT issue/civil rights so lets not act like this was some monumental event...
with 48 hours to go I would have played the show... donated every $ to the cause (which is a healthy amount)... and used my celebrity and megaphone to go on local radio speaking out against the bill... they chose to fly to the next hotel suite instead
I respect your opinion, but I will say this to your points:
a) While I agree that most people on here oppose the law, I don't believe that they feel as strongly against the law as the band does, and certainly don't understand/appreciate the gravity of the law as those directly impacted by it. Had this been a law to restrict the rights of, say, white males in the state, I have a feeling a lot more people on here would be railing against the state lawmakers rather than the band. Yes, I know that the timing sucked and all that, but bottom line is it just wouldn't have been right to have played the show at all, and if folks on here were the ones facing discrimination and loss of rights because of the law, I believe they would have been pleading with the band not to play the show for many weeks leading up to it. Just because those affected are not *us* and represent only a small majority of the population, doesn't make it any more excusable to play a show that the band really had no business even considering playing.
b) The "healthy amount" they could have donated is pennies compared to the overall impact they can have by denying tourist dollars to the state, not only from this single show, but by other businesses and artists hopefully following suit and doing the same. As large and powerful as the Pearl Jam institution is, it makes it a lot easier for other artists to follow in their footsteps in the weeks/months to come. I think a lot of people are looking at this as a single action meant for a single impact, but I'm pretty certain it was done with a much, much larger picture/movement in mind -- one that, if successful, can absolutely crush the state's economy to such an extent that lawmakers will have no choice but to overturn the bill. As for going on local radio and speaking out, again it would have been a nice gesture, but I guarantee it would not have generated the 887 articles that their decision to boycott has generated according to Google News.
Again, I understand the frustration and disappointment by the timing and cancellation as a whole, but let's at least understand that the band's decision to boycott made (or has the potential to make, at least) a FAR greater impact than if they had gone on with the show as planned, and to those who are directly affected by this bill or who greatly care about the deprivation of rights it creates, it was therefore easily the right thing to do.
That is all fine & dandy, don't necessarily disagree with anything you said...
But again, my point is why wait so long to cancel?
With 48 hours to go and so many fans traveling, it's a dick move to cancel so late. It's really that simple
If union guys get paid, that's great, I would like to know who is on the hook to pay them. Hopefully it is pearl jam and nobody else, but I honestly don't know how that works? Do the fans have a 48 hour cancelation payback clause for travel expenses and vacation hours used?
For the first time ever, it felt like I was taken for granted by the band.
a) While I agree that most people on here oppose the law, I don't believe that they feel as strongly against the law as the band does, ...
This is some kind of weird bullshit right here. How do you know how strongly I'm against these types of laws vs "the band" (read: Ed)? For Christ sake, I live in a very progressive state and am proud that we have pretty progressive laws. I don't understand and can't comprehend why religionists think it is OK to discriminate against people based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. But to claim that the band has some sort of super-empathy for this cause that goes way beyond our convictions is horseshit. And the last minute cancellation does nothing to back up your claim, as I believe Cyndi Lauper has been way more consistently supportive of LGBQT throughout her career and yet chooses to play NC and donate proceeds. That is a real show of support.
"I'll use the magic word - let's just shut the fuck up, please." EV, 04/13/08
So they were concerned about union workers getting paid but not about their fans losing travel and vacation pay? Doesn't make sense, I think a lot of PJ fans are also union members, you would have to think the band is equally concerned about working families whether they come from Raleigh or Ohio.
Exactly.
I don't buy the union rational behind the band's decision at all. How many union folks would have missed a days pay? 30? 50? Even 100 working one show? Doesn't add up compared to the 1000s of fans that lost out.
If you were in Hampton, with plans to head to Raleigh when that news broke, you would know exactly what I mean
Yeah that really sucked. Was just about to leave the hotel when the email came through and completely ruined all good vibes I had for the show. I still had a fun time at the Hampton show, but the timing just sucked. I still can't comprehend why they waited so long to cancel.
a) While I agree that most people on here oppose the law, I don't believe that they feel as strongly against the law as the band does, ...
This is some kind of weird bullshit right here. How do you know how strongly I'm against these types of laws vs "the band" (read: Ed)? For Christ sake, I live in a very progressive state and am proud that we have pretty progressive laws. I don't understand and can't comprehend why religionists think it is OK to discriminate against people based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. But to claim that the band has some sort of super-empathy for this cause that goes way beyond our convictions is horseshit. And the last minute cancellation does nothing to back up your claim, as I believe Cyndi Lauper has been way more consistently supportive of LGBQT throughout her career and yet chooses to play NC and donate proceeds. That is a real show of support.
Yeah they were "try to still play the show right up to the last minute?" They thought the law was going to get changed in those last two days? I guess that is what they were waiting for? That's a stretch.
ABQ 93, Las Cruces 95, ABQ 98, Bridge School 10/30/99, Lubbock 00, ABQ 00, Denver 03, State College 03, San Diego 03, Vegas 03, PHX 03, D.C. 03, Camden 7/5/03, NYC 7/8/03 + 7/9/03, Vegas 06, San Francisco 7/15/06 + 7/16/06 + 7/18/06, Kansas City 10, EV:ABQ 11/6/12, Chicago 13, PHX 13, Denver 14--PJ24!, Telluride 16, Chicago 8/20/16, Chicago 8/18/18, Denver 20, Phoenix 20
New Mexico Pearl Jam Fans (New Mexico, USA) on Facebook!
If you were in Hampton, with plans to head to Raleigh when that news broke, you would know exactly what I mean
Yeah that really sucked. Was just about to leave the hotel when the email came through and completely ruined all good vibes I had for the show. I still had a fun time at the Hampton show, but the timing just sucked. I still can't comprehend why they waited so long to cancel.
Same exact deal with us...
I think Oceans was set for Hampton but they knew they couldn't come out slow, so they went with a fast start and a lot of big songs/singalongs
a) While I agree that most people on here oppose the law, I don't believe that they feel as strongly against the law as the band does, ...
This is some kind of weird bullshit right here. How do you know how strongly I'm against these types of laws vs "the band" (read: Ed)? For Christ sake, I live in a very progressive state and am proud that we have pretty progressive laws. I don't understand and can't comprehend why religionists think it is OK to discriminate against people based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. But to claim that the band has some sort of super-empathy for this cause that goes way beyond our convictions is horseshit. And the last minute cancellation does nothing to back up your claim, as I believe Cyndi Lauper has been way more consistently supportive of LGBQT throughout her career and yet chooses to play NC and donate proceeds. That is a real show of support.
First, read my post. "Believe" and "know" are polar opposites. No, I don't "know" how strongly you are against these types of laws, and I never claimed to. However, as a general statement, and based on the reactions and arguments of many people on this board, I do believe (I do have a right to an opinion, don't I?) that many/most of the people on this board have much less of a vested interest in the HB2 issue. At the very least, in response to your claim about the level of consistent LGBQT support over the years, I think it's fair to say that the band has much more at stake in terms of deciding how they go about opposing the bill seeing as how their decision and action most likely has much more of a significant impact than any of one ours.
Secondly, if you understand the purpose of the boycott (not only by PJ, but by many other artists and businesses as well), you'll understand why comparing the actions or Pearl Jam vs. Cyndi Lauper is apples and oranges. The boycott is about hurting the economy, driving down tourism, etc. Cyndi Lauper performs in small venues and does not get many people from out of state (and out of country) to come see her shows. Pearl Jam, as we all know, does. Thus, the paths they choose to take to oppose HB2 are -- and should be -- different. Whereas Lauper can make much more of a positive change by playing and advocating and donating, Pearl Jam's impact -- as a much larger draw bringing in much more tourist presence and money -- is greater by refusing to play. A ton of people are missing that point here.
Everything has chains...Absolutely nothing's changed. - PJ
“The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.” - Albert Camus
^^ Well said. I think most people here and everywhere have very little understandning and empathy when it comes to these issues, even when they support the victims. Sometimes everyone should think about the specific issue but replace the gender/sexuality descriptor with skin colour, ethnicity, or religion. I.e. replace "transgender" or "gay" or "LGBTQ community" with "black" or "Mexican" or "Muslim" or "Jew". Perhaps that is more relatable for them intellectually and they can think of the issue in a more clear kind of way, because there is NO DIFFERENCE.
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
If you were in Hampton, with plans to head to Raleigh when that news broke, you would know exactly what I mean
Yeah that really sucked. Was just about to leave the hotel when the email came through and completely ruined all good vibes I had for the show. I still had a fun time at the Hampton show, but the timing just sucked. I still can't comprehend why they waited so long to cancel.
Same with me. It was so hard to enjoy the show because my mind was on the disappointment that had just set in.
Comments
For those who, like me, might be hunting around for this:
Nuclear fission
But again, my point is why wait so long to cancel?
With 48 hours to go and so many fans traveling, it's a dick move to cancel so late. It's really that simple
If union guys get paid, that's great, I would like to know who is on the hook to pay them. Hopefully it is pearl jam and nobody else, but I honestly don't know how that works? Do the fans have a 48 hour cancelation payback clause for travel expenses and vacation hours used?
For the first time ever, it felt like I was taken for granted by the band.
I don't buy the union rational behind the band's decision at all. How many union folks would have missed a days pay? 30? 50? Even 100 working one show? Doesn't add up compared to the 1000s of fans that lost out.
New Mexico Pearl Jam Fans (New Mexico, USA) on Facebook!
I think Oceans was set for Hampton but they knew they couldn't come out slow, so they went with a fast start and a lot of big songs/singalongs
Secondly, if you understand the purpose of the boycott (not only by PJ, but by many other artists and businesses as well), you'll understand why comparing the actions or Pearl Jam vs. Cyndi Lauper is apples and oranges. The boycott is about hurting the economy, driving down tourism, etc. Cyndi Lauper performs in small venues and does not get many people from out of state (and out of country) to come see her shows. Pearl Jam, as we all know, does. Thus, the paths they choose to take to oppose HB2 are -- and should be -- different. Whereas Lauper can make much more of a positive change by playing and advocating and donating, Pearl Jam's impact -- as a much larger draw bringing in much more tourist presence and money -- is greater by refusing to play. A ton of people are missing that point here.
“The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.” - Albert Camus
I think most people here and everywhere have very little understandning and empathy when it comes to these issues, even when they support the victims.
Sometimes everyone should think about the specific issue but replace the gender/sexuality descriptor with skin colour, ethnicity, or religion. I.e. replace "transgender" or "gay" or "LGBTQ community" with "black" or "Mexican" or "Muslim" or "Jew". Perhaps that is more relatable for them intellectually and they can think of the issue in a more clear kind of way, because there is NO DIFFERENCE.